Cambridge United boss Shaun Derry said that he is still up for the fight of leading the U’s after their 2-1 defeat to Newport County.

It was a devastating blow the U’s, with Joss Labadie netting with the last kick of the game to earn the Exiles the three points after Jevani Brown’s stunning equaliser.

The U’s were down to the bare bones for the game. Jabo Ibehre and Uche Ikpeazu were already missing but Leon Legge was also unavailable through illness, meaning that Derry only named three outfield players on the bench.

Liam O’Neil then had to be subbed off after needing stitches following a first half collision with Ladabie.

But despite the relatively thin squad, Derry said he was pleased with the way his team attacked the game.

“We’ve had a horrendous last 48 hours,” Derry admitted.

“The injury to Jabo on the back of last week and Uche’s red card and the loss of Leon Legge [came at] at a real poor time for us.

“It was a concern and takes you into the game with 14 players – 15 with the goalkeeper obviously.

“I said to the boys beforehand in all adversity you hope for a result, and you have to be prepared for a performance that got that and I thought the performance was good today.

“But a goal before half time and in the dying embers of the game – that probably highlighted where we are at this moment in time, and you just hope it’s going to turn at some moment.”

“I thought we played well, I thought we played an attacking brand of football. I thought the three players in front of the midfield two, I thought they contributed to a lot of our attacking movement and we just lacked that killer punch at the end of it and I think it’s as simple as that.

“When you’re looking at being a successful side it’s about taking chances, and we’ve not been doing that."

But the head coach was in no doubt after the game that he was still the right person to take the club forward.

“Until that point comes [that he turns results around], or if it comes, or it might not come at all, you never know in management,” he said.

“But while I’m stood here as manager of Cambridge I’ll be fighting right to the dying embers as it’s in my personality, it’s in my blood.

“So if people are expecting me to go into a corner tonight and not talk to anybody and be this frustrated figure, sat at home who doesn’t speak to my wife as kids – that’s not me.”